Part I Break Forth The Dawn
by Krystie Jamison
Summary: When Eomer is banished from Edoras, King Theoden's mind is turned around and Theodred, son of the king is nearly dead, someone must keep up their faith and hope that someone would come and save them. The story holds romance and some action at Helm's Deep
1. Eomer's Banisment

**Break Forth the Dawn**

Chapter OneA Lord of the Rings fan fiction storyby Krystie Jamsion

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Eáránë Ancalamë watched as Éomer, nephew of the king, rode away with those loyal to the King.

To her left, Éowyn, Éomer's sister stood waving, on the verge of tears. She had never been so alone before. Her uncle, the king of Rohan, Théoden, had been poisoned in some way from an unwanted advisor, and her cousin, Théodred, had been brought back the day before nearly dead. And now her brother is gone, being banished from Edoras, and with him, the hope of Rohan, or so it seemed.

Eáránë watched as Éomer looked over his shoulder at them. She knew his eyes held tears of sadness that should not have been there. Éomer waved and rode away, slowly disappearing from the sight of Edoras.

Eáránë turned to her mother, who was standing close behind her.

"Could you please take care of Éowyn, mother?" she asked quietly. "I must speak to father."

Tari Ancalimë smiled and put a knurled hand on her daughter's cheek. "Of course, Eáránë," she replied.

Éowyn was now walking towards the Hall, and Tari silently followed her.

Eáránë went the opposite direction, towards one of the many houses that covered the massive hill that Edoras was situated on. She opened the door to find her father sitting at a table, deep in conversation with one of the villagers.

He looked up when she walked in.

"Ah," he said wearily. "Eáránë. Just the person I wanted to see just now." He motioned to a chair across from him.

Galdor Ancalimë's scarred face was filled with sadness, as he knew what Eáránë was about to tell him. His eyes traveled back to the villager who was shaking from the cold, and talking rather fast.

"Slow down, my friend," he said putting his hands on the man's. Galdor motioned to Eáránë to get a blanket to put around his shoulders. She did so, and the man thanked her, and then turned back to Galdor and went on with his story.

"I was putting the horses away for the night, when I heard this growling," he explained. "I knew it wasn't any of my dogs, for I keep them in the house at night, and they do right by that and stay in. But the most peculiar thing happened."

He paused for a moment. "I saw these beady eyes staring right at me, and then…" he paused again, if trying to remember something," "…and then…well…I don't remember anything else. All I remember is waking up and seeing that they had taken the horses, burnt the barn to the ground, along with the rest of the village, and killed everyone but me. I don't know how I lived, while the rest of them burned to a crisp in their beds, but I did. It scared me so terrible much that I knew I must warn the other villages, before they were torn apart too."

The man's face saddened suddenly and tears came into his eyes. "I went to the nearest village, but it had already been destroyed, and along with it, all its inhabitants."

Eáránë listened to the man with great sorrow. It was true that Saruman's orcs were roaming freely, just as Éomer had said. Their people were dying, but the king would do nothing. At least Éomer would now be able to try to defend their lands while he was roaming. Earane knew he would do his best.

Galdor nodded after the man had explained what had happened, and told the man to rest on a nearby cot.

Eáránë looked at her father, who stood up.

"It is becoming too dangerous, Eáránë," he exclaimed. "Our people are dying, and there is nothing we can do about it until Theoden gives us permission, but his ears are deaf and his mouth is mute from some curse this new advisor of his had given him."

Eáránë nodded. "I know, Father. With Éomer gone, and the heir to the throne almost dead, what are we to do but wait here until Gandalf comes?"

"Éomer has gone?" he said in disbelief.

"Yes, father," Eáránë replied. "Grima has banished him. He left but half-an-hour ago."

"Banishment?" Galdor shook his head and sat down again. "What of Théodred?" he asked, looking at her with a dim light of hope in his eyes.

Eáránë shut her eyes for a moment before answering. "He is not strong enough to stay alive. He will die in a few days, if not hours."

Galdor sank down in his chair, his eyes filling with tears. Life as they once knew was vanishing, and a new life of fear was replacing it.

"If only Gandalf would come," Eáránë whispered.

Galdor looked up at Eáránë again. "Gandalf?" he asked. "Do you think he could help us? Do you think he is strong enough to break Saruman's spell over our good king, my daughter?"

Eáránë's mouth formed a small smile. "Yes, father. I believe Gandalf is. You have said many, many times, Father that the good in this world we live in far outweighs that of the bad, no matter how much stronger the bad seems. We must believe in that now, for if we don't, none shall have any courage to stand up to anything."

Galdor smiled and took his daughter's hand. "I wish I could still think as I used to daughter. I thank you for reminding me."

Eáránë smiled back at her father. "You are very welcome." She stood up and walked to the door. "Now I believe that I must go to Mother and Éowyn."

Galdor nodded and watched Eáránë walk out of the door, and then sighed. The good, old days. Where had they gone? The only thing to do now was wait for Gandalf. But, if he did not come, then they needed another plan. But now, he had to tend to the villagers who were crowding his little home.

They had come to seek help, and a few moments ago he had none, but now, with the wisdom that his young daughter had showed him, he could help them find their courage and rebuild the shattered pieces of their life with it. It would make them stronger and invincible in a way that the Enemy would never be able to break.

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A/N: Hope you liked the first chapter! Another one is soon on the way! Sorry that this one is so short, but I kinda had to hurry because I didn't have a lot of time with which to write it. I hope that everything is explained well, and if you have any questions, please let me know. I'll try to answer them in the next chapter. Thanks! Krystie Jamison 


	2. Theodred's Fate

After speaking with her father, Eáránë headed back to the Great Hall where she traveled through the many hallways that made up the huge building to Théodred's bedchamber.

Eáránë's mother, Tarí stood by the bed, as Éowyn was bent over her half-dead cousin.

Théodred's was barely breathing, as his chest was very shallowly rising and falling. His breathing was barely audible in the silent room, and Eáránë knew that each one could be his last.

Éowyn's cheeks were stained with tears, and Eáránë moved to comfort her. Just as Eáránë moved, however, Théodred breathed his last and Tarí put her face in her hands.

Eáránë's heart seemed to shrivel up as she watched Théodred, hoping for the impossible. He was in pain no more, and she could not ask for anything better for him.

The four of them, Éomer, Éowyn, Eáránë and Théodred had been good friends since childhood, due to the fact that they had all been in the same age range and that Eáránë's father had been a close friend to Théodred's father.

"It is over," Eáránë whispered. She placed the sheet over Théodred's head and went to her mother to comfort her. Tarí cried in her daughter's arms and Eáránë's own tears were shed. He had been a good friend, and would have made a wonderful king, but his fate was chosen and there was no way to change it.

Éowyn's grief became apparent as her shoulders began to shake, and Eáránë knew she would like to be left alone. Eáránë and her mother walked out of the bedchamber and went back to the Hall, where King Théoden sat in his feverish state.

Eáránë knew the king would have to be told sooner or later about his son's death, but she knew also that he would not understand. Better to let Éowyn tell him, as he knew her better.

A/N: sorry such a short chapter, but I had not a lot of time. Please r&r asap. I love to hear your thoughts! Third chapter will be up in a few days, hopefully.

Thanks Krystie Jamison


	3. Mother To Daughter

**Break Forth The Dawn**

**By Krystie Jamison**

Chapter Three: Mother to Daughter 

A day had passed after Théodred's death. Éowyn did tell her uncle of his son's death later that evening, but he did not hear, for his mind was twisted, as was his face, beyond recognition.

"He is almost as dead as Théodred, Eáránë," Éowyn said afterwards, "for I know him not. He no longer looks at my face with recognition but with blank eyes."

Éowyn folded her hands in her lap and a single tear fell from her sad eyes. "I feel locked up and alone, Eáránë. Death is on Rohan's door, and if no one can make the king better, than all is lost."

Eáránë looked into her friend's face and smiled a sad, sorrowful smile. She could see her mother from the corner of her eye and knew she was waiting to talk to her. She walked up to her mother's side and they walked out of the room whispering, to leave Éowyn in peace.

"How is Éowyn?" Tarí asked her daughter, once they were out of earshot.

"Sad. She is grieving, but is also suffering a loss that I cannot help her recover from," came the reply.

Tarí looked back at Éowyn, who still sat in the same place. She looked back at Eáránë. "You cannot understand the loss of a parent for you have lost none, yet."

Eáránë searched her mother's eyes. "What do you mean, yet?"

Tarí sighed. "Your father's health is failing. He is doing his best to keep alive for all of us, but it will not be long before…"

Eáránë shut her eyes and looked down. Her father was the only thing that was keeping Rohan together at the moment.

"How long do you think he has, Mother?" she asked.

Tarí shook her head. "I do not know, but it will be soon."

Eáránë nodded. "Is there anything else?"

Tarí shook her head. "Not now. But if any riders approach, know that Wormtongue has forbid any weapons beyond the doors."

Tarí looked her daughter in the eyes. "I love you, my beautiful, smart, wonderful daughter. You have been our capitol's one consolation since Éomer left. I thank you for everything".

Eáránë smiled at her mother through tears. "Thank you, but I'm not the one who deserves the credit. I am just as in the dark about this whole cumbersome situation as you, and you know that."

Tarí shook her head. "You have been able to hold on to your courage and hope, unlike the rest of us. You father told me what happened yesterday after Éomer left. He is very thankful to have you for a daughter, and so am I."

Eáránë wiped a tear from her cheek and nodded. "I'm trying my best to keep our spirits up with all the death and fear around here."

Tarí smiled. Her daughter had always been the one to brighten everyone's spirits whenever something was wrong. As a child she had watched her mother and father suffer through some bad times, but they got through because of Eáránë. She was a full-grown woman. She was bearing everything with such ease, you might not have known all the troubles she carried in her head.

A call from somewhere in the great hall sounded that riders were approaching, and Eáránë Eáránë's head turned. A guard was standing there.

"Milady," he said. "Three riders from the north."

Eáránë's eyes brightened, and she nodded and then turned back to her mother. "Hope is here."

A/N: I hope that you understood this chapter. I was kinda just writing in circles I think. If you didn't understand it or you want to clarify something, please feel free to ask me and I'll be sure to post the answers on the next chapter, which is almost done. To those who have already reviewed the first and second chapters, please feel free to review every chapter! I really like to hear your thoughts on both chapters! Thanks so much!

Here's to my reviewers:

Meg Ishiro: Thanks, and I'm glad that you were able to understand the story. The next few chapters should be a little bit more revealing to the story line, so please keep reading and reviewing!

Mesphia: Thanks for the review. I'm glad that you like Earane. I just hope that she stays true to courage and hope in the next few chapters.

P.S. Thanks to any other people who have read this story and decided not to post a review! Thanks for reading! Oh, and one other thing, the next chapter will be a lot longer, for those of you who like long chapters.


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